Sparking means for motor-vehicles.



APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, I902.

Patented Apr. 30, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

Jbulrewllflilse [IN-E. Wibwsses 611% C9. @uiMw\ l A.. L- BIKER.

SPA RKING MEANS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION 'FILED JU LY16, 1902.-

2 SHEETS+SHEET 2.

.flndrewLmen' Patented- Apr. 30,1918.

ATESI "J orator.

SPARKING MEANS FGR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

" Tov all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that 1, ANDREW L. BIKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at 1 Short Hills', in the county of Essex and State "of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Sparking Means for Motor- Vehicles, of which the following description,

in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention in motor vehicles relates particularly to vehicles which are propelled by internal combustion engines employing sparking means for igniting the combustible {some moving part of the vehicle, with means in the engine cylinders.

My present invention aims to provide means for charging the battery from an extraneous source, while the vehicle is running. This I accomplish in the preferred embodiment of my invention by providing the vehiclewith a generator driven from wherebywhen the generator current attains a potential exceeding the normal working potential of-the battery, it will begin to feed and, charge the battery,- continuing until the fall of potential automatically cuts 011' the renewal current to avoid draining the battery." r

To enable my invention to be understood,

I I refer to the accompanaying drawings.

hicle ma Figural, illustrates a typical motor vehiole, equipped with means illustrating my invention. p p

Fig; 2, is a detail showing the automatic I switch employed in the vehicle, Fig. 1.

Fg. 3, a, right hand side elevation of F1 2. l j Eig. 4, a diagram of the circuits employed.

In the particular embodiment of my in vention illustrated in the drawings, the vecomprise the wheels la, 6, body frame 0, ody 0, engine E, driving through a transmission gear F, with the battery B mounted in convenient position, say at one side the vehicle body. The. construction of the-engine, and its sparkin appliances may be of any des red type so ar as concerns mypresent invention. For convenience, I assume that the engine ty e and operating. in usual manner.

Eteferringnow to'Fig. 4, 1,1, l, 1, indicate diagrammatically, the four primary coils,"

one for each of the four cylinders of the engine.

originating in the battery B or the Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 3Q, 19ll8= I Application filed July 16, 1902. Serial No. 115344.

The-cooperating secondary coils are indicated at'2, 2, 2, 2, they, with their said respective primary coils, constituting ordinary spark coils equipped with usual interrupters 6o ed to be rotated by some suitable part, as

the engine, and carrying a contact piece 10 which at each rotation of said head, successively makes and breaks electrical contact with the several brushes 4. The contact piece 39 is grounded at 5, it may be, through the frame of the vehicle.

The primary coils 1, 1, at the opposite ends are connected with a common wire 6, leading to one of the poles of the battery B. This battery is shown as divided, the like poles of the respective halves, being connected by wires 7, 8, with the fixed contacts 9, 10, of a switch member 11, grounded at 12.

Thus(at each rotation of the head 19, a

ground circuit is momentarily established from the half of the battery which is in use, through each of the brushes 4, and their respective primary coils 1, the circuits being traced as follows, viz.: ground 12, switch arm 11', contact 9, or 10, wire 7, or 8, battery B, wire 6, primary coil 1, wire 3, brush 4, contact piece p and ground 5, the circuit enerator G hereinafter, more fully described.

Each of the secondary coils 2, is connected at one of its ends with one of the spark f points 13, the opposed sparkpoints in each case being grounded at 14.

The opposite ends of the respective secondary coils are grounded through the wire 6, battery B, wire 7, or 8, and ground 12.

Thus at each closure of the circuit of a primary coil, there is induced a current in its secondary coil, producing a spark at'the' points 1314. v

Now to replenish or charge the battery B,

while the vehicle is in-motion, I have pro-ff vided a small generator G,'driven by some moving part of the engine,

- This generator, see Fig.4,"may have a the vehicle, as for instance,

shunt field 15, and a working clrcuit 16,

which includes the coil 17 of a switch mag nected.by wire 25, in series through the coils of the stationary magnets 26, 27, with the battery B.

When in the operation of the vehicle, the potential of the generator current in the circuit 16, exceeds the normal potentlal of the battery B, the magnet 18, tends to close the magnetic circuit between the. poles of 26 and 27 against the tension of the previously adjusted spring .21, and turns the switch arm 22, into engagement with the fixed contacts 23-24, thereby closing the generator circuit through the wire 16, contacts 23, 24,'wire 25, and the battery, thence by the wire 7, or 8, and switch arm 11 back to the generator.

This serves to charge the half of the battery which is in use, during such time as the generatorcurrent maintains a potential exceeding that determined by adjustment of the spring 21. And during this time the charging current, passing through. the magnets 26, 27 energizes the same, and, by reason of their opposite polarity with reference to the switch magnet 18, holds the latter in its closed position. a

When, however, the potential of the generator current falls below the potential of the battery, the latter becomes the feeder,

and sends a reverse current back through the magnets 26, 27, reversing the polarity thereof and throwing the switch back to its normal open position, Fig. 2, with the gen erator feeding circuit broken. This leaves the battery charged to the highest potential of the generator circuit, and it is not again charged until the generator current again reaches a potential sufficient to overcome the spring 21, when it is again switched into the battery.

In practice the spring 21, is adjusted to throw the switch when the generator potentlal slightly exceeds the normal potential of the battery, and the generator is so constructed, as with a relatively large armature coil and small field coil, that when it reaches a potential at which it commences to charge the battery, the armature reaction is such as to prevent any substantial rise of potential.

Asa matter of fact, when running, the generator is practically continuously chargmg the battery at about the rate at which the battery is discharging so as to maintain the battery potential substantially constant.

If'the switch arm 11 be turned into its middle, dottedposition, Fig. 4. it will out inaeazseo out both halves of the battery and stop the machine. When turned from this middle position, it will cut in either half of the battery, according as the contact 9 or 10, is engaged by it. And whichever contact or half battery, is cut in, the generator is by the same movement of said switch arm thrown into the same battery. Thus there is cer- H in case of accident or injury to the other,

but admits of periods of rest for all the cells, which is greatly to be desired, while at the same time maintaining an effective source of current supply for continued working.

A safety switch at 28, furnishes means for the operator to cut out the electric circuit, when, for instance, the vehicle is left for a time unattended.

My invention is not limited by the precise construction herein shown and described as the same may be modified and rearranged without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Claims:

1. In combination, a variable speed internal combustion engine, an ignition circuit therefor, a storage battery, connections between the battery and ignition circuit, a generator driven by the engine arranged to be connected to charge the battery, said generator being so constructed that its armature reaction limits the current output and thereby limits the voltage to a safe charging voltage so long as the battery and generator are connected.

2. In an ignition and charging system for motor vehicles, in combination, a variable speed internal combustion engine for r0- pelling the vehicle, a generator driven rom the engine, a storage battery adapted to be charged by said generator, and ignition devices for said engine including the primary of an induction coil adapted to receive current from said generator and said battery, and including also a circuit-making-andbreaking device driven at a speed in accordance with the engine speed, said generator being so constructed that its armature reac-' tion controls the rate of rise of its charging potential attendant upon increased speed.

3. In an ignition and charging system for motor vehicles, in combination, a variable speed internal combustion engine for propelling the vehicle, a generator driven from the engine, a storage battery adapted to be connected to be charged by said generator, and ignition devices for said engine including the primary of an induction coil adapted to receive current from said generator and said battery and including also a circuit ,making-and-breaking device driven at a said generator being so constructed that,

when connected in circuit, variations in current incident to speed changes are utilized to control'the generator voltage. I

i. In an ignition and charging system for motor vehlcles, in combmation, an internal combustion engine for propelling the vehicle,

ignition devices for said engine including an induction coil the secondary current of which is utilized for ignition purposes and including also a circuit-making-and-breaking device driven at a speed in accordance with the engine speed, a generator driven from said engine, a storage battery connected to receive chargin current from said generator, voltage-contro led means controlling the connection of said generator and said battery, connecting means between the primary circuit of said induction coil and said battery, said generator havingregulating provision whereby the increase in voltage impressed on said battery and the primary of said induction coil with increase 1n generator speed is restricted.

5. An automobilebattery-charging and ignition system, wherein a variable speed internal combustion engine drives a dynamo.

electric machine which charges a storage battery, characterized by the fact that ignition means are connected to be supplied from the generator and the battery and the generator is constructed to control the voltage upon the ignition circuit and battery by the current output of the generator. 7

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANDREW L. BIKER. Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, ALBERT C. SoHULz. 

